The Nodrest is a surprise winner in “Spokane I”

(By Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)

Leo The Nodrest came in the first Spokane WTT Feeder Series event (“Spokane 1”) as world no. 102 and the sixth seed, but he left the trophy. Top Seed Aditya Sareen lost in the round of 16 to Yuhi Sakai. Sakai had eliminated the US Jishan Liang in the round of 32. Other Americans also reached the Tour of 32-Ma Jinbao fell 3-1 against Steffen Mengel, Wu Yiran fell to Borgar Haug, and Nandan Naresh prevailed over Leo the Noodrest before he lost 3-2. Edward Ly van Canada also pressed two rounds before he lost to park Gyuhyon in the round of 32.

The last four were Yoshimura of Japan against Park Gyuhyeon of Korea and the French De Nodrest against another Korean with a similar name, Park Ganghyeon. The Nodrest jumped out to a lead of 2 games and then held up for a 3-2 victory in Park Ganghyeon. In the upper half of the draw, the Gyuhyeon park was that Kazuhiro Yoshimura dominated. But in the final, Leo finished the Nodrest strongly, he exchanged the first two games and then closed the match 3-1.

During the ladies singles event, all four semi -finalists were Japanese. Sreeja Akula from India was the best seed and she fell on the final winner Saki Shibata. Amy Wang of the US was the third seed and she lost 3-1 to finalist Kaho Akae in the quarterfinals. Sally Moyland and Jianghan Guo each reached the round of 16 – including Wang, three Americans reached that round. Eventually Saki Shibata took the title 3-1 about Kalo Akae in the All-Japanese final.

Herinubbels went to the French team of Irvin Bertrand and Jules Rolland, the title of the women went to Asuka Sasao and Anne Uesawa, and mixed Doubles went to Swatoshi Aida and Hitomi Sato.

The next event, “Spokane II”, starts on Sunday. Sareen is the top seed, the Nodrest is the fifth seed, Edward Ly of Canada is the eighth seed, and the best Americans by seed are Sid and Nandan Naresh (11th and 12th seeds).

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